Collateral discount rates.

No definition available.

Name:	caty_CollateralDiscountRates
Namespace Prefix:	caty_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Estimated sales cost applied to collateral.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	caty_EstimatedSalesCostAppliedToCollateral
Namespace Prefix:	caty_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Expected life of warrants.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	caty_ExpectedLifeOfWarrants
Namespace Prefix:	caty_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair Value Measurement With Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation Recurring Basis Warrants

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	caty_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisWarrants
Namespace Prefix:	caty_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	caty_Note16FairValueMeasurementsDetailsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	caty_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Measure of dispersion, in percentage terms (for instance, the standard deviation or variance), for a given stock price.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (e)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25499696&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Risk-free interest rate assumption used in valuing an instrument.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of other real estate and foreclosed assets. Other real estate may include real estate investments, real estate loans that qualify as investments in real estate, and premises that are no longer used in operations may also be included in real estate owned. Foreclosed assets include all assets obtained in full or partial satisfaction of a debt arrangement through foreclosure proceedings.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.10(4))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherRealEstateAndForeclosedAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Note 16 - Fair Value Measurements (Details) (USD $)					12 Months Ended
Note 16 - Fair Value Measurements (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013 Accounts Receivable Collateral [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Inventory Collateral [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Warrants Outstanding [Member] Minimum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Warrants Outstanding [Member] Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Minimum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Maximum [Member]
Note 16 - Fair Value Measurements (Details) [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement With Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation Recurring Basis Warrants (in Dollars)	$ 30,000	$ 104,000
Other Real Estate, Foreclosed Assets, and Repossessed Assets (in Dollars)	$ 52,985,000	$ 46,384,000
Collateral Discount Rates			45.00%	65.00%
Estimated Sales Cost Applied To Collateral							3.00%	6.00%
Expected Life of Warrants							1 year	4 years
Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate					0.39%	1.25%
Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Volatility Rate					8.39%	16.00%